Jesus prayed for his disciples
Jesús catecã́ri Dayé ome dacadigode Ecarai
Jesus prayed for his disciples when he was about to leave for heaven:
These are Jesus’s words that he tells us about in John 17 when he would soon be going back to heaven; while he was still on earth he prayed to his Father for his disciples. This is what he prayed: “Father, I’m going to be leaving our countrymen here on earth, these earth dwellers. I ask you to take good care of them here on earth,” he said, “as I have watched over them while I have been here with them. I gave them your Word. And I explained what you said, and they have obeyed everything you told them to do. I have finished the work you gave me to do here on earth, and now I’m returning to you. Don’t disregard any of them.”
What Dupade said about Judas would came to pass: (John 17:12)
Why is it Jesus didn’t say, ‘We won’t lose any of them, according to the prophecies in your Word?’ When Jesus was on earth long ago he had twelve disciples, and he didn’t lose any of them. But afterwards he said, “Even though I have twelve disciples, one will be lost. We’re going to lose one of them.”
And he said: “Father, I have not yet lost any of us. But it is Satan that has taken one away from us. But your word predicted this would happen long ago,” he said.
I think you know who Jesus was referring to when he said that Satan would take one of the disciples and cause him to die. That disciple would throw himself down from a high mountain, and his intestines would burst out of him. (Acts 1:18)
It isn’t that Dupade hates any of his believers if any of them fails. But possibly he does test their faith. (Hebrews 12:11)
What Judas did is different from when we fall into sin. Judas seemed to love Jesus very much, for he went everywhere with him. He served along side Jesus. He could be seen eating with Jesus. But he betrayed his teacher and brought condemnation upon himself. And he ended up throwing himself down from a high place and his intestines burst out of him.
Jesus didn’t say, ‘Father, I’m going to leave our countrymen here on earth, I’m through with all of them now.’ No, this isn’t what he said. But what he did say was, ‘Father, I’m leaving them because I’ve now completed the work you wanted me to do, so take good care of them down here on earth when I leave.’
But Jesus told the truth about what Dupade’s Word says: when believers give their all to preach Dupade’s Word, they will not be sad when Dupade comes back. And that is how it was with Jesus, for he said: “We haven’t yet lost any of those that you gave to me here on earth, but only that one that your Word said would be lost, just that one.”
Jesus told his Father that he would leave his Word with his disciples:
It’s true what Dupade’s Word says to us about this. Jesus, in his prayer, said to his Father: “You gave my disciples to me, but when I go away, I’ll be leaving my teachings from your Word with them.”
And we know that these teachings that Jesus was leaving with them would go with them when they left to take Dupade’s Word to other places.
Dupade invites everyone on earth to come to him: (Matthew 22:14)
And in the same way, he is calling all of us. He includes everyone he’s placed in this village. But if a person doesn’t pay attention to Dupade’s Word, and doesn’t listen to his call, the day will come when that person will say: ‘Dupade, why did you not have mercy on me and call me to yourself?’
Pero la Palabra de Dupade lo explica de esta manera: “I called all of you to come to me. I let you know that I wanted to take all of you to my town in heaven, but you are the ones who refused to come to me. You weren’t interested in me,” this is what it says.
It’s like what Jesus prayed to his Father Dupade. He said: “I told your words to them and they have taken good care of them. And we did not lose any of our disciples. Only the one you told about in your Word, was lost. For none of your prophecies fail to reach fulfillment.”
And that is what it tells about in John 17 that Jesus prayed to his Father. He said: “Father, I’m going to leave those you gave to me here on earth, but I’ll not really be leaving them, because I’m going to leave your Word with them.”
Jesus prayed earnestly for those of us who would believe on him in the future:
And that is why the missionaries came to us. And though they have gone away, they have left Dupade’s Word here with us so that we can teach each other from it. And it’s like what Jesus said: “I’m leaving your Word with them that contains our teachings. And those who have received us into their hearts will share these teachings with each other.” (John 17:20-21)
Ecarai says the missionaries also left Dupade’s Word with us:
Jesus said: “I’m not leaving my disciples empty handed.” And it’s been like this with the missionaries who have gone from our villages. They didn’t leave us empty handed. They gave us Dupade’s Word, and they are still praying for us that Dupade will take care of us here in our town now that they are gone. And this is what Jesus meant when he said: “There are many who I have called, and I’m always praying for them, and asking you that they might accompany me to heaven.”
Ecarai likens his teaching to a woman that makes clay pots:
It’s like a woman that makes clay pots; she forms them all very well. Then she bakes the pots. And then she fills them, though they all look alike, the water leaks out of some of them. The ones that have cracks aren’t good for anything.
It’s like that with us, for we all have Dupade’s Word, but some of us don’t like it, and we are like the leaky pot that won’t hold water so that we can drink from it. However, when someone wants Dupade’s Word, he’s like a beautiful water pot that is well-made and holds water. He is like a person that has been taught Dupade’s Words by the missionary, and he takes Dupade’s Word to other places and teaches our fellow ayoréos about Jesus and tells them: “Jesus told us all about his town in heaven so that all of us can go to be with him.”
But the person that dislikes the words of God might say: “The thought of going to heaven is dreadful for me.” And people like this are like leaky pots. And that person will say, “I’m going to let the water run out of me over the ground wherever it wants to go, for if it stays inside me it will make me cold.” And though he’s filled with drinking water, it spills out upon the ground. That’s the way it is with Dupade’s Word: when it’s taught, it goes into a person, but if it doesn’t find a place in that person’s heart, it runs right out of him.
Jesus would leave but his Father’s word would remain so that other’s might be taught:
Therefore, Jesus said this to his Father: “Now I’m going to leave our fellow people, but your Word will still be with them and many more will believe in us because of my teachings. And I will heal them. And they will believe in you when I take their sin and sickness away.”
Jesus said to his Father: “Father, I’m asking you, not to take them out of the world, but while they are in the world, protect them from Satan by your power and then one day we’ll all be together in your town in heaven when you take us there.” This was Jesus’ prayer. (John 17:15)
Ecarai – Tobité, Bolivia – 1970.
Transcribed and translated to English by: Maxine Morarie.
